After September 11, Islam became nearly synonymous with fundamentalism in the eyes of Western media and literature. However widely held this view may be, it is at odds with Islam’s rich political history. Renowned Egyptian scholar Nasr Abû Zayd here considers the full breadth of contemporary Muslim writings to examine the diverse political, religious, and cultural views that inform discourse in the Islamic world.

Reformation of Islamic Thought explores the writings of intellectuals from Egypt to Iran to Indonesia, probing their efforts to expand Islam beyond traditional and legalistic interpretations. Zayd reveals that many Muslim thinkers advocate culturally enlightened Islam with an emphasis on individual faith. He then investigates the extent of these Muslim reformers’ success in generating an authentic renewal of Islamic ideology, asking if such thinkers have escaped the traditionalist trap of presenting a negative image to the West.

A fascinating and highly relevant study for our times, Reformation of Islamic Thought is an essential analysis of Islam’s present and future.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Nasr Abû Zayd is professor of Islamic studies at the University of Leiden. This title was commissioned by the Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR).

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

Preface by the Author

1. Introduction

2. The Pre-Colonial Period

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Cultural Diversity

2.3 The Paradigm of Sharia

2.4 Revivalism

2.5 Conclusion

3. The Nineteenth Century

3.1 Introduction

3.2 The Challenge of Modernity

3.3 Rethinking Consensus: The Emergence of New Ulama

3.4 Al-Afghani: The Pioneer of Reformation, Islah

3.5 Rethinking Sunna, Hadith Criticism: The Emergence of a New Exegesis of the Quran

After September 11, Islam became nearly synonymous with fundamentalism in the eyes of Western media and literature. However widely held this view may be, it is at odds with Islam’s rich political history. Renowned Egyptian scholar Nasr Abû Zayd here considers the full breadth of contemporary Muslim writings to examine the diverse political, religious, and cultural views that inform discourse in the Islamic world.

Reformation of Islamic Thought explores the writings of intellectuals from Egypt to Iran to Indonesia, probing their efforts to expand Islam beyond traditional and legalistic interpretations. Zayd reveals that many Muslim thinkers advocate culturally enlightened Islam with an emphasis on individual faith. He then investigates the extent of these Muslim reformers’ success in generating an authentic renewal of Islamic ideology, asking if such thinkers have escaped the traditionalist trap of presenting a negative image to the West.

A fascinating and highly relevant study for our times, Reformation of Islamic Thought is an essential analysis of Islam’s present and future.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Nasr Abû Zayd is professor of Islamic studies at the University of Leiden. This title was commissioned by the Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR).

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

Preface by the Author

1. Introduction

2. The Pre-Colonial Period

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Cultural Diversity

2.3 The Paradigm of Sharia

2.4 Revivalism

2.5 Conclusion

3. The Nineteenth Century

3.1 Introduction

3.2 The Challenge of Modernity

3.3 Rethinking Consensus: The Emergence of New Ulama

3.4 Al-Afghani: The Pioneer of Reformation, Islah

3.5 Rethinking Sunna, Hadith Criticism: The Emergence of a New Exegesis of the Quran